The potato harvest has finally commenced, albeit with a significant delay, in the regions of Arcadia and Drama. Weather conditions and planting issues have caused reduced yields this year.
In the market, potatoes from Kozani are currently available but are experiencing lower demand, despite not having large quantities available.
Mr. Socrates Voitsidis, a potato producer and trader with a 1,000-acre farm in Ptolemaida, Kozani, shared with AgroTypos that “Kozani potatoes will be available in the market until October. This year, even though potatoes from Drama and Arcadia regions have not yet hit the market – meaning reduced quantities – demand remains subdued. Perhaps this can be attributed to the challenges facing the tourism industry. Nevertheless, prices remain at the same levels as last year, packaged at 55-57 cents per kilogram, with a producer price of 50 cents per kilogram.”
Mr. Konstantinos Katsogiannis, a potato producer with a packaging facility in Neochori, Arcadia, emphasized to AgroTypos that “harvesting has started with small quantities in the region. From the coming week, quantities will increase, and harvesting will proceed at a more intensive pace. The delay in harvesting is attributed to adverse weather conditions during planting, which set back cultivation.”
As Mr. Apostolos Vesmelis, a producer and president of the Agricultural Association of Kato Neurokopi in Drama, stated to AgroTypos, “Some early varieties that were planted before the rainfall (5% of production) have just begun to be harvested these days. However, we are talking about a very small production. The regular harvest in the Neurokopi Plateau will commence in about 15 days, weather permitting. It is certain that we will have reduced yields due to weather conditions, and the cultivation areas will also be reduced. It is estimated that this year’s production will be reduced by 30-40% compared to last year. Prices in the market are currently at satisfactory levels. We are eager to see how they will evolve when the larger quantities from Drama, Kozani, and Arcadia are harvested.”
The potato harvest season in Arcadia and Drama may be off to a slow start, but producers and traders are cautiously optimistic about market conditions as the season progresses. Weather challenges and planting delays have certainly posed obstacles, but the demand for quality potatoes remains steady.
